Greg reached for his buzzing phone. He saved the file on his computer and glanced at the tiny screen. “What does he want?”
Greg slid his thumb over the answer button. “What?”
“Look,” the voice on the phone said. “I’m the last person you wanted to hear from. I get it.”
“Not really,” Greg said. “I don’t want to hear from Amanda, and you are the next to the last person I want to hear from, Tom.” He chuckled.
“I figured you knew my other name,” Tom said. “I need a favor.”
“A favor?” Greg rocked back in his chair and laughed. “That’s rich. The amazing Challenger needs a favor from me.” He glanced around the cube farm, ensuring no one was paying attention to his conversation. “Tumult.”
“Yeah,” Tom answered. “You owe me.”
“What?”
“You heard me,” Tom said. “You owe me. From the last time, the World Police raided your group, Onyx.”
“Yeah, right,” Greg hissed into his phone. “If I was a part of this organization, they didn’t do anything. They haven’t even bothered to talk to me. At all.”
Tom’s laugh came through the phone. “That strange text you got? Telling you to get out and which way to go.”
Greg stared at his phone. “No. There is no way that was you.”
“Oh, yeah, Greggy boy,” Tom’s voice said. “Go out the south side in five minutes. Open the door, then count to ten. Sound familiar?”
“Son of a…” Greg gaped at the tiny screen. “Fine. What do you need?”
Silence swam over the line for a long two seconds. “Bail. It should be about two grand, and I can pay you back.”
“I don’t care if you can,” Greg spat. “You’re gonna. What did you do?”
Tom stalled. “It isn’t anything serious. No robbery or violence, and nothing like what you do.” He chuckled.
“Excuse me?” Greg shifted in his chair and nearly crushed his phone. “What makes you think I would do something like that? The jobs accredited to me are high-end, and you’ll have to research this; no one got hurt.”
“I’m sorry,” Tom said. “You’re right, and that was uncalled for. Will you bail me out or what?”
“What is the charge?”
Tom’s sigh traveled over the phone. “Solicitation.”
“That’s kind of crass, don’t you think?” Greg rested his elbows on his desk. “Aren’t you married?”
“Yeah,” Tom answered. “But like all marriages, we are in a slump.”
“Right,” Greg said. “Been there. Granted, I didn’t have to pay for it.”
“Oh, really?”
“Wait,” Greg added, realizing he had let something slip. “Whatever. I’ll be there in an hour. Precinct 15?”
“Yup,” Tom answered. “Marsha doesn’t know, and she doesn’t need to.”
“Do you really think anyone will believe me?”
“No,” Tom said. “You can’t tell anyone. This stuff has a way of coming out.”
“Yeah,” Greg said. “If Sentinel finds out, you’re toast.”
“I’m not worried about that,” Tom said. “He’s here, too?”
“Seriously?”
“Yup,” Tom said. “He hasn’t noticed me yet.”
“What charge?”
“DND,” Tom answered. “Very odd.”
“I’ll say,” Greg said. “I’m not bailing him out.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Tom said. “But I have copies of things. Thanks, Greg.”
The line disconnected. Greg slipped his phone into his pocket. “This is going to be interesting.”